GeForce GTX 560 vs GRID K280Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 560

2011Core: 810 MHz
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VS

GRID K280Q

2013Core: 745 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 560 vs GRID K280Q Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 560 vs GRID K280Q: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 560

2011

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,801 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
  • Delivers 879.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.9 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
  • Draws 150W instead of 225W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GRID K280Q

2013

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).
  • More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 905% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,000 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 13.9 G3D/$ ($2,000 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • 50% higher power demand at 225W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GRID K280Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.6% in PassMark G3D (2,840 vs 2,768), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 560 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 560 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,801 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $2,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 879.5% (13.9 vs 1.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GRID K280Q still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 560 vs GRID K280Q Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 560

The GeForce GTX 560 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 810 MHz. It has 336 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,768 points. Launch price was $199.

NVIDIA

GRID K280Q

The GRID K280Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,840 points. Launch price was $1,875.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 560 scores 2,768 and the GRID K280Q reaches 2,840 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 560 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GRID K280Q uses Kepler, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 336 (GeForce GTX 560) vs 1,536 (GRID K280Q). Raw compute: 1.089 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 560) vs 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K280Q).

FeatureGeForce GTX 560GRID K280Q
G3D Mark Score
2,768
2,840+3%
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
Kepler
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
336
1536+357%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.089 TFLOPS
2.289 TFLOPS+110%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
56
128+129%
L1 Cache
448 KB+250%
128 KB
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 560 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID K280Q leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 560GRID K280Q
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 560 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GRID K280Q carries 2 GB. GRID K280Q gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 560 and 64-bit on the GRID K280Q.

FeatureGeForce GTX 560GRID K280Q
VRAM Capacity
1 GB
2 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 560 draws 150W versus the GRID K280Q's 225W — a 40% difference. The GeForce GTX 560 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 560) vs 350W (GRID K280Q). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 560GRID K280Q
TDP
150W-33%
225W
Recommended PSU
500W
350W-30%
Power Connector
2x 6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
1mm
Slots
0
Perf/Watt
18.5+47%
12.6
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 560 came in at $199, while the GRID K280Q launched at $2000. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 560 was 90% cheaper ($1801 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 13.9 (GeForce GTX 560) vs 1.4 (GRID K280Q) — the GeForce GTX 560 offers 892.9% better value. The newer card here is GRID K280Q (2013 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 560GRID K280Q
MSRP
$199-90%
$2000
Performance per Dollar
13.9+893%
1.4
Codename
GF114
GK104
Release
May 17 2011
June 28 2013
Ranking
#605
#595

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